DE112020004997T5 - WIND GUIDE MECHANISM AND FRONT STRUCTURE FOR A VEHICLE INCLUDING THE WIND GUIDE MECHANISM - Google Patents

Abstract

A wind guide mechanism 40 guides the running wind to an object to be cooled mounted behind a front bumper 7 of a vehicle 1, the wind guide mechanism including wind guide plates 41, 42 positioned behind the front bumper 7 and in front of the object to be cooled, wherein the guide plates 41, 42 extend in an up-down direction such that parts of the plates protrude downward beyond the lower end of the front bumper 7, the guide plates 41, 42 being positioned such that at least the front end sides thereof face left or offset to the right from the vehicle width center, and the guide plates 41, 42 are inclined with respect to the vehicle front-rear direction such that the front end sides are further outward in the vehicle width direction than the rear end sides.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The present disclosure relates to a wind guide mechanism and a front structure of a vehicle including the wind guide mechanism.

STATE OF THE ART

Generally, a front structure of a cab-over-type vehicle such as a truck is configured with arranging a heat exchanger (hereinafter also referred to as a cooling target) such as an intercooler and a radiator in an engine room below a cab. As a front structure of such a vehicle, for example, Patent Literatures 1 and 2 disclose a structure in which a running wind flowing through a front grille in a front surface of a cabin or a running wind flowing under a front bumper is guided to the cooling target becomes.

CITATION LIST

PATENT LITERATURE

• Patent Literature 1: JP-A-2018-034759
• Patent Literature 2: JP-U-H07-013658

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

TECHNICAL PROBLEM

Typically, a license plate or the like is often provided at a center portion of the front bumper in a vehicle width direction. Therefore, in a cross-sectional shape of a lower corner portion of a front surface of the front bumper, a portion on an outer side in the vehicle width direction is curved in a smooth and substantially arcuate shape, while a central portion in the vehicle width direction where the license plate or the like is provided is formed to be bent at a substantially right angle.

With such a front bumper shape, in the running wind that hits the front surface of the front shock absorber and flows under the front shock absorber, the running wind on a central side in the vehicle width direction where the corner portion is bent at a substantially right angle is largely behind directed downward separately. On the other hand, the running wind is less separated on the outside in the vehicle width direction in which the corner portion is curved substantially in an arc shape, and a flow speed tends to increase. It can be said that there is room for improvement in improving a cooling efficiency of the cooling target by effectively guiding the running wind with such a high flow speed to the rear cooling target.

An object of the technique of the present disclosure is to provide a wind guide mechanism that can effectively improve cooling efficiency of a cooling target and a front structure of a vehicle including the air guide mechanism.

THE SOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM

A technique of the present disclosure provides a wind guiding mechanism that guides running wind to a cooling target mounted behind a front bumper of a vehicle. The wind guide mechanism includes a wind guide plate arranged behind the front bumper and in front of the cooling target, the wind guide plate extending in an upper-lower direction of the vehicle so that at least a part of the wind guide plate protrudes downward as a lower end of the front bumper, wherein at least a front end side of the wind guide plate is offset to the left and/or right in a vehicle width direction relative to a center, and the wind guide plate is provided obliquely relative to a front-rear direction of the vehicle so that the front end side of the wind guide plate is at an outer side in in the vehicle width direction relative to a rear end side of the wind guide plate.

Preferably, a pair of left and right wind guide panels are provided, the pair of wind guide panels facing each other while being separated from each other when the pair of wind guide panels extend toward a vehicle front side.

Preferably, the wind guide plate is provided between the front bumper and a vehicle front wheel behind the front bumper in a side view of the vehicle, and a lower end edge of the wind guide plate is cut obliquely so that the lower end edge is above a tangent line connecting a lower end of the front bumper and connects the front wheel of the vehicle.

Preferably, there is further provided a second wind guide plate that extends below the cooling target in the vehicle width direction and directs the running wind guided by the wind guide plate toward the cooling target.

Another technique of the present disclosure provides a front structure of a vehicle including the wind guide mechanism. The front structure includes: a pair of left and right side members extending from the front bumper to a rear side of the vehicle; a cab mounted on an upper portion of a front end side of the side members; and an engine supported by the side members under the cabin, wherein the cooling target is located behind the front bumper between the pair of left and right side members and in front of the engine, and the wind guide plate is attached to the side member such that a front end side of the Wind guide plate is located on the outside in the vehicle width direction relative to the side member.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION

According to the technique of the present disclosure, cooling efficiency of a cooling target can be effectively improved.

character list

• [ 1 ] 1 12 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a front structure of a vehicle including a wind guide mechanism according to the present embodiment.
• [ 2A ] 2A 12 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view illustrating the front structure of the vehicle according to the present embodiment, which is cut out in a vehicle front-rear direction at a center portion in a vehicle width direction.
• [ 2 B ] 2 B 12 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view illustrating the front structure of the vehicle according to the present embodiment, which is cut out in the vehicle front-rear direction at a portion left than the center portion in the vehicle width direction.
• [ 3 ] 3 12 is a schematic side view of the front structure of the vehicle according to the present embodiment when viewed from the left.
• [ 4 ] 4 12 is a schematic bottom view of the front structure of the vehicle according to the present embodiment when viewed from below.
• [ 5 ] 5 12 is a schematic side view of a front structure of a vehicle according to another embodiment when viewed from the left.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, a wind guide mechanism according to the present embodiment and a front structure of a vehicle including the wind guide mechanism will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the names and functions of these components are also the same. A detailed description of the same components will therefore not be repeated.

1 12 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a front structure of a vehicle 1 including a wind guide mechanism 40 according to the present embodiment.

As in 1 1, a vehicle 1 is, for example, a cab-over type vehicle such as a truck, and a cab 3 (operator's cab) is placed on an upper portion of a front end side of a vehicle body frame 10. FIG. The cab 3 is tiltably supported on the body frame 10 via a cab bracket (not illustrated).

The vehicle body frame 10 includes a pair of left and right side members 11, 12 and a plurality of cross members 15 (only front ends are illustrated in the illustrated example). The pair of left and right side members 11, 12 is formed in a substantially U-shaped cross section opened inward in the vehicle width direction, and extends in the vehicle front-rear direction in a state where the opening sides face each other . Each of the cross members 15 is formed in a U-shaped cross section open to the vehicle front side or the vehicle rear side (rear side in the illustrated example), and is bridged between the respective side members 11, 12 in the vehicle width direction .

A plurality of front grilles 8 through which the running wind is sucked are formed to be open in a front panel forming a front surface of the cabin 3 . A front panel 7 is provided below the front bumper of the cab 3 in the vehicle width direction. The front bumper 7 is fixed to front end portions of the side members 11, 12 or to the front end of the cross member 15 by a bracket or the like (not illustrated).

An engine 20 is housed in an engine room under the cab 3 . The engine 20 is of fixedly supported on the side members 11, 12 via mounting members (not illustrated) or the like. In addition, an intercooler 21 (an example of a cooling target of the present disclosure), a radiator 22 (an example of a cooling target of the present disclosure), and a cooling fan 30 (see FIG 2A , 2 B , 3 and 4 ) are arranged in this order from a front side to a front vehicle side relative to the engine 20 in the engine room.

The intercooler 21 cools intake air of the engine 20 by exchanging heat with outside air (e.g. running wind). Specifically, intake pipes (not illustrated) are respectively connected to an inlet 21B and an outlet 21C of the intercooler 21, and intake air pumped by a supercharger (not illustrated) is sent to a combustion chamber of the engine 20 after being discharged from a core portion 21A of the intercooler 21 has been cooled. In the illustrated example, the core portion 21A of the intercooler 21 is illustrated as a cross-flow type portion, and may be a vertical flow-type portion.

The radiator 22 cools cooling water of the engine 20 by exchanging heat with outside air (for example, running wind). Specifically, pipes of a cooling water circuit (not illustrated) are each connected to an inlet 22B and an outlet (not illustrated) of the radiator 22, and the cooling water heated by a water jacket of the engine 20 is cooled by a core portion 22A of the radiator 22 and then to the water jacket of the motor 20 circulates. In the illustrated example, the core portion 22A of the radiator 22 is illustrated as a vertical flow type portion and may be a horizontal flow type portion.

It is preferable that the radiator 22 is fixedly supported by the side members 11, 12 in front of the engine 20 via a bracket or the like (not illustrated), and that the intercooler 21 is fixed by the radiator 22 via a bracket or the like (not illustrated). will be carried. The intercooler 21 and the radiator 22 are inserted and arranged between the side members 11, 12 so that upper end sides of the core portions 21A, 22A protrude over the side members 11, 12 and lower end sides of the core portions 21A, 22A protrude below the side members 11, 12.

In the present embodiment, a wind guide mechanism 40 including a pair of left and right wind guide plates 41, 42 for guiding running wind to a cooling target is provided at a portion rearward of the front bumper 7 and in front of the radiator 22 and the intercooler 21 (in the hereinafter referred to simply as a cooling target) and is located under the side panels 11,12.

2A 12 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view illustrating the front structure of the vehicle 1 according to the present embodiment, which is cut out in a vehicle front-rear direction at a center portion in the vehicle width direction. 2 B 12 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view illustrating the front structure of the vehicle 1 according to the present embodiment, which is cut out in the vehicle front-rear direction at a portion left than the center portion in the vehicle width direction.

As in 2A 1, a lower corner portion 7A is formed at the center portion in the vehicle width direction of the front bumper 7 (hereinafter referred to as a center-side corner portion 7A) in a substantially L-shaped cross section bent at a substantially right angle. On the other hand, as in 2 B As shown, a lower corner portion 7B outward than the center portion in the vehicle width direction of the front bumper 7 (hereinafter referred to as an outside corner portion 7B) is formed in a substantially semicircular-arc cross section that is smoothly curved. Therefore, the relative wind FA (see 2A) , which hits a front surface of the front bumper 7, passes through the center side corner portion 7A, and flows under the front bumper 7 separately while the running wind FB (see 2 B) that hits the front surface of the front bumper 7, passes through the outside corner portion 7B, and flows under the front bumper 7 tends to have a small separation and a high flow speed.

The wind guiding mechanism 40 according to the present embodiment is provided to effectively guide the running wind FB, which passes through the outside corner portion 7B and has such a high flow speed, to the rear cooling targets 21, 22. The arrangement and shape of the wind guide mechanism 40 will be described in detail below.

3 12 is a schematic side view of the front structure of the vehicle 1 according to the present embodiment when viewed from the left, and 4 12 is a schematic bottom view of the front structure of the vehicle 1 according to the present embodiment when viewed from below.

As in 3 As shown, the wind guide panel 41 (42) is attached to the side member 11 (12) such that a panel surface of the wind guide panel 41 (42) extends in a vertical direction (upper-lower vehicle direction). Specifically, the wind guide plate 41 (42) is provided such that at least a part of the wind guide plate 41 (42) under a lower end of the front bumper 7 protrudes from a lower surface of the side member 11 (12) that is behind the front bumper 7 and in front the cooling targets 21, 22 is located.

A lower end edge 41A (42A) of the wind guide plate 41 (42) is formed obliquely such that a front side is located above a rear side in the vertical direction. Specifically, the air guide plate 41 (42) is formed by obliquely cutting the lower end edge 41A (42A) of the wind guide plate 41 (42) so that the lower end edge 41A (42A) is above a tangent L (a straight line indicating a so-called approach angle). , which connects the lower surface of the front bumper 7 and a vehicle front wheel FT behind the front bumper 7 .

In this way, since the lower end edge 41A (42A) of the wind guide plate 41 (42) is cut obliquely, a clearance between the lower end edge 41A (42A) and the floor G is secured. Accordingly, the approach angle of the vehicle 1 can be secured effectively. In addition, when an area of the plate on the rear end side of the wind guide plate 41 (42) is increased, the amount of running wind FB to be guided rearward flowing under the front bumper 7 can be reliably increased.

As in 4 As shown, the pair of left and right wind guide plates 41, 42 face each other while being separated from each other toward a vehicle front side. Specifically, each of the wind guide plates 41, 42 is provided obliquely to the vehicle front-rear direction such that at least the front end side is on the outside in the vehicle width direction relative to the rear end side.

The wind guide plates 41, 42 are provided such that the front end side is offset outward relative to the front bumper 7A of the front bumper 7, in other words, the front end side is behind the outside corner portion 7B. The rear end sides of the wind guide plates 41, 42 are located on the lower surfaces of the side members 11, 12, respectively.

That is, the running wind FB that has flowed through the outside corner portion 7B of the front bumper 7 and has an increased flow speed is guided obliquely to the center side in the vehicle width direction to a rear of the vehicle by the respective wind guide plates 41, 42 and active to the cooling targets 21, 22 located between the side members 11, 12, respectively. Thereby, the traveling running wind FB flowing below the front bumper 7 and having a high flow speed can be effectively introduced into the cooling targets 21, 22, and the cooling efficiency of the cooling targets 21, 22 can be reliably improved.

The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiment described above, and can be appropriately modified and implemented without departing from the gist of the present disclosure.

For example, as in 5 1, a second wind guide plate 43 may be further added below the cooling targets 21, 22 (the intercooler 21 in the illustrated example). The second wind guide plate 43 extends in the vehicle width direction and is inclined such that a lower end side is in front of an upper end side. When the second wind guide plate 43 is added, the running wind that passes between the front wind guide plates 41, 42 and is guided rearward can be directed toward the cooling targets 21, 22 more reliably.

In addition, a case has been described in which a pair of left and right wind guide panels 41, 42 is provided, and one of the left and right wind guide panels 41, 42 may be provided depending on the layout of the vehicle 1 or the like. Alternatively, the wind guide panels 41, 42 may not be installed in the vertical direction and may be installed at an angle with respect to the panel surface to push the running wind upward. The wind guide plates 41, 42 may be fixed directly to the side panels 11, 12, or may be fixed to various brackets provided on the side panels 11, 12. The second wind guide plate 43 may also be fixed directly to the cooling targets 21, 22, may be fixed to the side panels 11, 12, or may be fixed to various brackets provided on the side panels 11, 12.

The shape of the wind guide plates 41, 42 is not limited to a flat plate shape, and the wind guide plates 41, 42 may be curved in a substantially “U” shape or may have a bent portion at a predetermined portion sen and have a different angle. In addition, the wind guide plates 41, 42 may be installed at the front or rear of those of the illustrated example.

The heat exchanger that is the cooling target has been described as a device that includes the intercooler 21 and the radiator 22, and may be either one of the intercooler 21 and the radiator 22, or an oil cooler that cools engine oil, an EGR cooler that a recirculation exhaust gas cools, or the like.

Further, the application of the present disclosure is not limited to a forward control arm type vehicle and can be widely applied to other vehicles such as a semi forward control arm type vehicle and a hood type vehicle as long as the vehicle includes a front structure that guides running wind to a heat exchanger .

The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application NO. 2019-190552 , filed October 17, 2019, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

COMMERCIAL APPLICABILITY

The present disclosure is useful in that the cooling efficiency of the cooling target can be effectively improved.

Reference List

1

vehicle

3

cabin

7

front bumper

7A

Center Panel Corner Section

7B

Outside Corner Section

8th

front grill

10

vehicle body frame

11, 12

page elements

15

transverse element

20

engine

21

Intercooler (cooling target)

22

cooler (cooling target)

40

wind guide mechanism

41.42

wind guide plate

43

second wind guide plate

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• JP 2018034759 A [0002]
• JP H07013658 U [0002]
• JP 2019190552 [0038]

Claims (5)

Wind guiding mechanism that guides running wind to a cooling target mounted behind a front bumper of a vehicle, the wind guiding mechanism comprising: a wind guide plate arranged behind the front bumper and in front of the cooling target, wherein the wind guide plate extends in an upper-lower vehicle direction such that at least a part of the wind guide plate protrudes downward as a lower end of the front bumper, at least a front end side of the wind guide plate is offset left and/or right relative to a center in a vehicle width direction, and the wind guide panel is provided obliquely relative to a vehicle front-rear direction such that the front end side of the wind guide panel is located on an outer side in the vehicle width direction relative to a rear end side of the wind guide panel. wind guiding mechanism claim 1 wherein a pair of left and right wind guide plates is provided, and the pair of wind guide plates faces each other while being separated from each other while the pair of wind guide plates extends to a front vehicle side. wind guiding mechanism claim 1 or 2 , wherein the wind guide plate is provided between the front bumper and a vehicle front wheel behind the front bumper in a side view of the vehicle, and a lower end edge of the wind guide plate is cut obliquely such that the lower end edge is located above a tangent line connecting a lower end of the front connects the bumper and the front wheel of the vehicle. Wind guiding mechanism according to one of Claims 1 until 3 , further comprising a second wind guide plate that extends below the cooling target in the vehicle width direction and directs the running wind guided by the wind guide plate toward the cooling target. Vehicle front structure incorporating the wind guide mechanism according to any one of Claims 1 until 4 includes, wherein the front structure includes: a pair of left and right side members extending from the front bumper to a rear side of the vehicle; a cab mounted on an upper portion of a front end side of the side members; and an engine supported by the side members under the cabin, wherein the cooling target is located behind the front bumper between the pair of left and right side members and in front of the engine, and the wind guide plate is attached to the side member such that a front end side the wind guide plate is located on the outside in the vehicle width direction relative to the side member.

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